Automated cycle sequencing with Taquenase: protocols for internal labeling, dye primer and "doublex" simultaneous sequencing.

This paper describes automated cycle sequencing protocols for internal labeling, dye primer and "doublex" simultaneous sequencing using Taquenase, a new genetically modified DNA polymerase with increased thermostability. Sequencing performance both with labeled and unlabeled primer yields uniform unambiguous signals up to the resolution limit of the sequencing gels. Primer walking with internal labeling was successfully performed on Pl-derived artificial chromosome (PAC) constructs with 130-kb inserts. Taquenase, a commercially available modified thermostable sequencing enzyme (delta 280, F667Y Taq DNA polymerase), incorporates a variety of fluorescent dNTPs carrying fluorescein isothiocyanate, TexasRed or Cy5 labels during the cycle-sequencing process with higher efficiency than other thermostable DNA polymerases. Comparison to other modified Taq DNA polymerases suggests that the particular N-terminal deletion of Taquenase rather than the presence of the F667Y mutation is responsible for the efficient incorporation and extension of labeled dNTPs. Taquenase makes feasible highly accurate "doublex" simultaneous cylce sequencing on both strands of template DNA with two internal labels or two dye-labeled primers in combination with the EMBL-2-dye DNA sequencing system, ARAKIS, or with two commercial DNA sequencers. It allows up to 2000 bases at > 99% accuracy to be determined in a single reaction.